Here it is, the second of three seven-round NFL Draft projections for the Chiefs. The draft starts Thursday. My third and final draft projection will come out that day. You can check out the first version here.
(A quick disclaimer: This mock draft was done with the use of the draft generator at Fanspeak.com. And a quick reminder — the Chiefs don't have a first-round pick because of the trade for Patrick Mahomes last April.)
SECOND ROUND
DL Nathan Shepherd, Fort Hays State (54th overall): There will be a learning curve here, as Shepherd played his college ball at tiny Fort Hays State. But there's no doubting his physical traits and tape. At a solidly-built 6 feet 4 and 315 pounds, Shepherd possesses outstanding athleticism and a real drive to get better. He'll have the benefit of playing a handful of snaps this year behind the likes of Xavier Williams, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Chris Jones and Jarvis Jenkins before earning a starting role in 2019 as a shaded nose or penetrating three-technique. By the way, I'd like to welcome Shepherd to the 2018 All-Juice Team (coming Wednesday).
THIRD ROUND
OLB Obo Okoronkwo, Oklahoma (78th overall): I wasn't kidding about this being a defense-first draft, folks. And let me tell you something — if Okoronkwo is on the board here, you rush to the podium and take him. He's not the tallest guy at 6 feet 2, but he's a thickly-built 253 pounds and when you turn on the tape, you'll immediately fall in love with his effort, athleticism and flashes of advance pass-rush technique. Okoronkwo and Tanoh Kpassagnoh would be a fun duo to watch for years.
OT/OG Alex Cappa, Humboldt State (86th overall): The Chiefs don't have many backup options at tackle, and given how long it takes to develop offensive linemen in the NFL, the Chiefs would be smart to draft one with the size (6 feet 7, 305 pounds), athleticism and nastiness of Cappa, who could turn into a starting option at either guard or tackle in a few seasons. He has the movement skills to fit in the Chiefs' zone-heavy run schemes, and he also has a strong punch. His technique needs lots of work and he'll need to acclimate to the speed of the NFL, but he'll have time to develop in those areas with the Chiefs.
FOURTH ROUND
TE Durham Smythe, Notre Dame (122nd overall): The Chiefs are going to add additional depth to the tight end position, despite the recent signing of free-agent Tim Wright. Smythe, a strong blocker (yes!) with great size (6 feet 5, 257 pounds) could give the Chiefs the attached, inline tight end they need to make coach Andy Reid's offense sing for the next several seasons.
CB D.J. Reed, Kansas State (124th overall): Here's another member of the 2018 All-Juice Team! Reed is not very big (5 feet 9, 188 pounds), but he tested very well athletically and you don't have to turn on the tape for long to see this cat is a bonafide football player. He plays with a ton of enthusiasm, has some ball skills and can even chip in as a returner — an underrated need in 2018, given the Chiefs' increased reliance on Tyreek Hill as an offensive threat. Reed projects as a slot corner but given how much teams throw, that's basically a starting position.
SIXTH ROUND
S Siran Neal, Jacksonville State (196th overall): Neal is a plus athlete with good size (6 feet 1, 205 pounds) and some versatility at safety and cornerback. He's a hitter with physicality who needs to refine his instincts and technique, but this is another guy who could be a defensive contributor in a year or two if he really commits to getting better.
SEVENTH ROUND
ILB Jermaine Carter Jr., Maryland (233rd overall): This guy isn't huge (6 feet, 228 pounds), but he runs well for the position (4.68 40) and flashes some natural cover ability, which could be a real boon one day in the Chiefs' nickel and dime subpackages.
DT McKay Murphy, Weber State (243th overall): The son of former baseball star Dale Murphy, McKay matches good size (6 feet 4, 295 pounds) with terrific speed (4.81 40) and raw strength (40 reps of 225). He really emerged as a senior, when he totaled 40 tackles and four sacks.
0 Response to "The Star's seven-round Kansas City Chiefs NFL draft projection, version 2.0 - Kansas City Star"
Post a Comment